A seven-year-old boy decided to trade his toys for a recycling business to help his family financially.
Codie Koopman, a Grade 2 learner at Eindhoven Primary School, collects plastic, glass and blikkies in order to put food on the table.
The Delft kid says he was inspired to help by his one-year-old baby sister.
“When I found out that collecting these bottles would make me money, I thought about my family,” he says.
“I give the money to my parents so they can buy baby milk and kimbies and then I buy coffee and bread.”
He adds that he actually got the business idea from the tikkoppe who collect recyclables.
“I would see people pick up the bottles for recycling and then I asked my daddy to help me.
“But when he couldn’t, I would ask my friends to help me. There are 10 of us and we push a waentjie to areas which are safe for us.
“I put my bottles at home and then I noticed that they would be stolen and that is when I went to ask for help.”
He approached couple Charles and Dee George of the Home of Compassion organisation in Delft South, and told them he wanted an office for his business.
Dee tells the Daily Voice: “We asked him about the business and he told us exactly what his vision is, and then he asked for a laptop where he could record his takings.
“A few days later he came back with his friend and he said ‘this is my secretary’.
“I was quite surprised at how bold he sounded, he is a 17-year-old in a seven-year-old’s body.”
Dee and her husband are now appealing for donations for another recycling bin.
“We received three, and we are keeping all in our secure yard so no one can steal the bottles.”
Codie tells the Daily Voice he pays his friends R10 a pop each time he gets money.